


Odd Bonds

by CrystalHopeDragon



Category: One Piece
Genre: Multi, Nakamaship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-12
Updated: 2019-01-12
Packaged: 2019-10-08 21:09:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17393759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrystalHopeDragon/pseuds/CrystalHopeDragon
Summary: The new members of the crew notice that the connections, or the reasons for the crew all getting along and staying together, were few and far between. Just a little character introspection as they figure out what makes the Straw Hat crew so close, and so wonderful.





	Odd Bonds

The first one to notice the difference was Robin. At the time she had been the newest member of the crew, and the only one to have ever had a real crew around her beforehand (Nami didn't count; the Arlong Pirates had never treated her like a real member). As such, she quickly picked up on the...peculiarities that came with the Strawhat Pirates. 

Like the lack of personal space.

She had seen Luffy stretch and wrap his neck around Nami to see what she was doing multiple times, with no reaction from the navigator. No embarrassment or anger over what he was near or touching, no surprise at the contact. She was completely comfortable with having this man hanging off of her. She was comfortable hand feeding him, having him cuddle up behind her, letting him poke and prod as he pleased. She only hit him or pushed him away when he got annoying - not because she was uncomfortable with the presence like some would be.

She wasn't the only one either. He clung to and climbed on Zoro and Sanji, carried Chopper around like a shoulder companion - tossing and snuggling him as he pleased. He even clung to Usopp for entertainment when bored. No one cared, no one was worried about the lack of a personal space bubble when he was around. 

It wasn't just their captain either. When tired after a fight, Zoro and Sanji would pass out against each other. Usopp would sometimes work with Chopper sitting in his lap, watching his new creation come into life. Chopper would cuddle up to everyone from Nami to Zoro when feeling lonely, and Nami wasn't uncomfortable being curled up against the other guys - as long as Sanji wasn't flirting. Even then she wasn't upset, just annoyed or angry. Everyone was just so comfortable around each other. 

Obviously it wasn't like that in other crews. Sure they trusted each other, but not with such close contact. You could easily strangle or slice someone with that close of contact. Not to mention regular comfort zones. Even if they truly trusted someone with their life, most people still didn't want them acting as an adhesive towards them. People liked their space. The Strawhats didn't seem to though; they were content with Luffy's actions and each other's presence. When questioned about it they were confused. After all, weren't all Nakama like this? Trusting, close? 

She didn't have the heart to tell them no. They weren't naive by any means on most things, but she felt they were best staying in the dark for a bit with this. She knew Nami and Sanji had too much life experience to not know better, so they had to be ignoring it. They were more comfortable treating their crews behavior as average, even if there was never anything average about their crew.

And as time passed and she truly got initiated into the Strawhat Crew -truly found out how strong their bond was- and had been saved by them herself she figured out why. They weren't ignoring it and treating it as normal, they were treating it as normal because it was normal for them. It was their crew, their actions. They didn't have to fit anyone else's standards. And that close contact made them feel at home. She wouldn't say anything about it; that close contact made her feel at home too.

\-----

Franky noticed it next. The physical contact didn't bother him, his Family was like that sometimes too. No, the...irregularity he noticed was the goals. Every Strawhat had an individual goal yet they all worked towards one path. His Family had all wanted one thing and had striven towards it out of connection from it. The Strawhats though had nothing it common. Sure, all their goals could be accomplished as pirates, but why had they all joined this crew when their goals could take them to completely different parts of the sea? Why not join a specialized crew, one that worked in medicine, or cooking, or swordfighting? Why let your path wander around by joining Luffy's? 

He only thought that this was odd for a bit.

Within the first day of truly being on the sea with them he could see why: they were here for Luffy. For the connection he brought, for the comfort the environment exuded. You couldn't get a floating home environment quite like this in any other crew, and the diversity sure made it feel even more like an eclectic family; after all, Luffy may have made the home environment but he wasn't the only thing that filled it.

And besides, their dreams could all be accomplished at some point; they might as well enjoy the way there. And who better to enjoy it with than this loving family? Zoro would get stronger, Nami could map the world, Usopp could gain glory and adventure, Sanji could find All Blue, Chopper could heal the world, Robin could discover its history, all while trying to find One Piece and make Luffy Pirate King. Not to mention that he could sail with the crew riding his greatest achievement - fulfilling that fantasy and finding a new dream on the way. After all, in this crew, nothing was just a fantasy anymore. It was a future event, a dream on the horizon. So no matter how focused they were and how clingy they could be, he was in for the ride. And it would be SUPER!

\----- 

Brook noticed next of course. The physical contact was odd, but not unwelcome. The different goals made him more entertained than confused. No, the lack of common hobbies surprised him. 

His crew had specialized in music. They all had one thing they all liked and could discuss, therefore never alienating anyone. The Strawhat's didn't though. Nami, Robin, Franky, Ussop, and Chopper liked reading, but Luffy and Zoro didn't and Sanji rather wouldn't. Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji liked ruff housing but the others weren't much of close combat fighters - or at least not sporadic ones. Franky and Chopper were close combat fighters, but they didn't fight just for fun. 

Sanji, Nami, and Chopper could cook, but none of the others could or would. Franky and Ussop liked to build, but the others were more the destructive types. Nami and Robin could bond on history and geography, but the others got bored. Nami and Franky could enjoy a discussion about whether patterns and basic science, but few others could follow. 

They were all just so different that few events or discussions could be done by all.

Maybe that's what made it so special when they could.

When they fought together or partied together they shined their brightest. Their differences made them stronger, more diverse even if a bit less cohesive. They could cover more ground, guard more angles of weakness. Whether it be physical or emotional, they always had each other's back. And when they weren't fighting, that diversity and joy translated into their celebrations.

It took him a while to realize it, but they weren't strong together despite their differences, but because of them. So when he fell into pattern too - found his own unique niche that his music and cane could fill- he was happy. No matter how odd their connection was, how different they all seemed, they fit together nicely. He was now part of that wild, eclectic, cohesive unit too. It was nice to have a real home again. 

\-----

(Jimbe didn’t notice the oddities at all. To be honest, he just assumed it was a human thing and adapted swiftly. And even if it wasn’t a human thing, so be it. He knew the Straw Hats were wild and wonderful, why wouldn’t they be at home, too?)

———

So maybe the Strawhats weren't like normal pirates. They had no overlapping hobbies, their goals didn't match up, and they were far more touchy feely than most. They didn't care. Because at the end of the day they were happy, alive -if not always healthy-, and together. Who cares what anyone else thought?


End file.
